Food in focus: Evening Star Cafe

“The zing of the pumpkin, the nip of the greens and the subtle piggy notes will keep your fork busy and your mouth entertained,” Tom Sietsema says of the salad at Evening Star Cafe. (Matt McClain/For The Washington Post)

The seasonal cobbler takes 25 minutes to bake, and the dessert is the best reason on the menu to stick around. Topped with a biscuit pastry, it comes with a pitcher of warm caramel sauce and extra-strength rum ice cream hidden beneath a dollop of whipped cream and sugared pecans. Make sure you order it when your main course arrives. (Matt McClain/For The Washington Post) Risotto, offered as both a starter and an entree, presents a swirl of arborio rice, black-eyed peas and dark greens punctuated with commas of tasso ham. (Matt McClain/For The Washington Post) The homey restaurant has been in Alexandria since 1997. (Matt McClain/For The Washington Post)